Climate change threatens chaos across the world. Communities in and near geographies ranging from glaciers and ice caps to islands and coasts are feeling the impacts of more severe or ‘unusual’ weather, with some effects already destabilising ecosystems. These impacts are likely to intensify, to affect many more people, and to affect the societies within which they live.

The UK has been a key player in achieving international agreements to combat climate change and environmental degradation and must continue to lead this fight. As an international leader with a responsibility for the state of the world and enormous capability to respond, the government must now play a leading role in implementing the agreements put in place in Paris in 2015. In doing so we recognise the benefits of such action on our natural environments – the bedrock of our landscape, agriculture, leisure and tourism sectors, and our homes. The UK will have to take its own measures to protect and improve its environment for us today, and for our future generations.

This is also a huge economic opportunity as zero carbon markets grow across the world and the UK seeks a new role post-referendum. To play its part we believe the UK should have zero carbon emissions before 2050 and become a global leader in new low-carbon, clean technologies. This huge industrial opportunity would insulate the economy against the risks of both climate-related shocks and an over-reliance on obsolete industries.